Sole-rounding machine



' c. aaaos'mom SOLE-ROUNDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 15, 1941 May 18, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet l May 18, 1943 c. s. BROSTROM 2,319,295 SOLE-ROUNDING MACHINE I Filed om. 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet. 2

' May 18, 1943 c. a. BROSTROM ISOLE-ROUNDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 13, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 18, 1943 Q0. BROSTROM 2,319,296

'SOLE-ROUNDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 13, 1.941 4 Shee ts-Sheet 4 Patented May 18, 1943 2,319,296 SOLE-ROUNDING MACHINE Charles G. Brostrom, Salem, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 13, 1941, Serial No. 414,755

12 Claims.

This invention relates to machines by which such articles as soles attached to shoe-uppers may be rough rounded, or brought to an approximation of their finished contour. The invention has as an object the provision of a machine which is simple and inexpensive, which will act at a comparatively high speed, and which is convenient to operate. It is especially applicable to stitchdowns, or to other of the less expensive types of shoes.

A feature of the invention, by which this obj'ect may be attained, consists in the manner of actuating the feeding mechanism, by which the work is advanced to receive the successive cuts of a reciprocatory rounding knife. This feeding mechanism includes a shoe-bottom-engaging member, which may be a toothed roll and which exerts a constant tendency to advance the work by force received from an actuating member. To prevent injury to the work by the action of the engaging member upon it, or injury to the knife by the force applied by the advancing work, I provide for reducing the effect of the actuating member upon the work-engaging member when the knife is in the work. This may be by transmitting the force yieldably. In connection with this Work-engaging member, the shoe-bottom may be considered to include not only the sole, but also the elements more directly connected to it, as the outturned flange of the upper or the mock welt of a stitchdown. These elements may be engaged by the toothed roll, or other positively acting work-advancing member, and by the diminution of the advancing effect, while the presence of the knife in the work is holding it back, marring and distortion of the bottom elements is prevented, and the strain upon the knife removed. More specifically, I combine with the toothed feed-roll a second feed-roll, movable to force the shoebottom against the toothed roll, a driven member by which both rolls are rotated, a driving member therefor, and one or more springs interposed between the members. The springs, which may be of the compression-type, may normally force.

a screw threaded through the driving member against the driven member. By adjustment of this screw, the force which the feeding mechanism exerts upon the work may be varied.

Another feature of the invention'is concerned with the arrangement of the feed-rolls and the associated bottom-rest. A crease-entering roll is rotatable upon the frame of the machine, while a bottom-engaging roll is rotatable upon a block movable upon the frame. The block preferably has a downwardly and inwardly inclined surface. With the bottom-engaging roll cooperates the bottom-rest, this being provided with a shank variable in position along the inclined surface of the block. This rest facilitates the presentation of the work at the correct angle to receive the action of the knife, and permits the maintenance of this angle as the bottom-engaging roll becomes worn in use.

A further feature may be found in the manner in which the rounding knife, its associated anvil and the feeding mechanism are arranged. The knife has a curved cutting edge, so that it removes discrete pieces from the margin of a soleblank, while the anvil is U-shaped, the curved knife-edge co-operating with the curved portion of the U. Between the arms of the anvil, the inclined shaft of the toothed feed-roll may extend, this roll having a depression in which the curved portion of the anvil is located, the teeth of the roll projecting beyond the 'anvi1 to engage the work. To permit the formation of sole-edges of different widths, as they are positioned by engagement with the feed-roll, the knife is preferably adjustable vertically upon its supporting spindle.

A particular embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section through my improved rounding machine;

Fig. ,2, a broken front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3, a perspective view of the elements more closely associated with the work;

Fig. 4, an enlarged vertical section through the anvil and co-operating feed-roll;

Fig. 5, an enlarged broken perspective view of the knife and its mounting;

Fig; 6, a similar view of the mechanism by which the knife is reciprocated;

Fig. '7, an enlarged transverse section on the line VIIVII of Fig. 1, particularly illustrating the driving mechanism for the feed-rolls;

Fig. 8, a sectional detail on the line VIIIVIII of Fig. '7;

Fi 9, a separated perspective view of the elements through which the feed-rolls are driven yieldably; and I Fig. 10, an enlarged sectional detail on the line X-X of Fig. 2.

Supported upon a column Hi is a casing l2 carrying the operating elements of the machine. Guided for horizontal reciprocation in the casing is a spindle M, having fixed to its forward extremity a head it (Fig. 5). Adjustable in vertical ways I8 at the front of the head is a mounting-plate 28, secured in place by a clamping plate 22 and a screw 24. Extending forwardly from the outer face of the mounting-plate is a divided cylindrical boss 28, about which may be placed the tubular shank 28 of a chopping knife 38, the cutting edge 32 of which is shown as semi-circular, with its open side up. The boss is expanded into retaining engagement with the knife-shank by a screw 34, having a frustoconical head 36 contacting with complemental internal surfaces upon the boss. That the knife may be reciprocated to make its cut, a collar 38 is clamped on its spindle, and to the opposite sides of this collar is pivoted the forked end of a lever 48 (Fig. 6). The lever is fulcrumed upon the inner extremity of a double link 42, pivoted upon a bracket 44 extending through an opening in the casing I2 and attached outside, so it is readily removable. A connecting rod 46 joins the lower end of the lever to a crankpin 48 upon a driving shaft 58, journaled transversely of the casing. This shaft is rotated constantly during the operation of the machine by belt-gearing 52. Opposite the crankpin, the shaft carries a counterbalance 53.

To advance the work to receive the successive cuts of the knife 38, rotatable feed-rolls 56 and 58 are provided. The roll 56 is adapted toenter the crease of a shoe and locate it with respect to the knife, while the roll 58 engages the treadsurface of the sole attached to the upper, urging the opposite shoe-bottom-surface against the companion-roll 55. Attached to the upper front portion of the casing I2 is a horizontal bracket 68, in the underside of which is secured a downwardly and outwardly extending bearing sleeve 62. In this sleeve a shaft 64 is rotatable, it having fixed upon its outer end the roll 56. This roll has an angular periphery (Fig. 4), the outer edge 65 being smooth, while the inner edge is transversely divided to furnish teeth 68. The roll 58 may be of some such yieldablematerial as rubber, it having a vertical shaft I8 journaled in a block I2. From this block a tubular shank I4 projects rearwardly (Fig, 3), it being arranged to slide horizontally in a bearing-sleeve I6 attached to the casing (Fig. 1). Rotation of the shank is prevented by a pin I8 projecting from the block I2 into a bore in the sleeve. A pair of expansionsprings 88, situated at opposite sides of the shank, in bores in the sleeve I6 and interposed between the block and the casing I2, urge the roll 58 outwardly into Work-feeding relation to the roll 55. To retract the roll 58 against the force of the springs for the insertion of the work between it and the roll 56, there is fulcrumed upon an extension from the sleeve I6 a bellcrank-lever 82, having one arm divided to pivotally engage the block I2 at opposite sides, and with a treadle-rod 85 joined to another arm (Fig. 3). When the treadle-rod is drawn down, clockwise rotation of the lever 82 shifts the roll 58 away from the roll 56, to be restored by the springs 80 upon release of the rod.

To impart to the rolls 56 and 58 their workadvancing rotation, the shaft 64 of the roll 56 1 has fixed to its upper extremity a bevel-gear 90, with which meshes a bevel-gear 82 fast upon a shaft 94 journaled horizontally in a bearing sleeve 96 mounted in the front of the casing I2. Clamped upon the inner end of the sleeve is an arm 98, having Secured in it a horizontal spindle I00, about which a gear I62 and a sprocket-wheel I54 turn together (Fig. '7). Upon the shaft I of the roll 58 is a bevel-gear I88, meshing with a similar gear H8 upon a shaft H2 extending through the passage in the shank I4. An arm H4 is clamped upon the rear extremity of the shank, and has fixed in it a horizontal spindle H6, about which an elongated gear H8 and a sprocket-Wheel I20 are rotatable together. With these long teeth meshes a gear I22, fixed to the shaft H2 which moves longitudinally as the position of the roll 58 is altered. Passing over the Wheels I84 and I20 is a sprocket-chain I24, which also engages the teeth of a sprocket-wheel I26 surrounding a shaft I28, which is constantly rotated by worm-gearing I38 from the driving shaft 50 (Fig. 5).

The motion of the shaft I28 is yieldably transmitted to the sprocket-Wheel I26 through a pair of compression-springs I32, I32. These springs are situated opposite each other and abut against a power-transmitting member I34 secured to the shaft (Fig. 9). The member has diametrically extending arms, in which the springs are socketed at one end, while at their other extremities they rest in sockets in the arms of a power-receiving member I38 keyed to the hub of the sprocket-Wheel. The expansive force of the springs is normally exerted to urge a stop-screw I 38, threaded through an arm I46 of the member I36, against a portion I4I of the member I34. By varying the projection of the screw beyond the arm, the degree of compression of the springs and the resistance to relative displacement between the members I34 and I36 may be altered. It will be seen that, if advance of thework by the rolls 56 and 58 is stopped or resisted, as by the presence in it of the knife 38, the rotation of the sprocket-Wheel I28 andthe gearing connecting it to the two rolls will be efiected similar- 1y. But before any substantial stress is placed upon the knife and work, the springs I32 yield, so there is a brief interval of idle motion of the member I34, whilethe member I35 may remain at rest, the portion I4I of the member. I84 leaving the screw I38. When the knife is withdrawnfrom the Work after having made its out, the rolls, are free to again feed the work forward, the.ex--

pansion of the springs restoring engagement .between the member I34 and the screw I38. In absence of such an arrangement, the teeth 58 of the roll 58 might mutilate the shoe-bottomsurface which they engage and breaking stresses be thrown upon the knife 30.

The knife may out against an anvil I46, which is attached to a bracket I48 depending from the.

outer face of the bracket 68. This anvil I46is shown as U-shaped (Fig. 3), its spaced arms being fixed to the bracket I48,.while its curved lower portion furnishes the abutment-surface-I50 for.

the knife-edge 32. As is best shown in Fig. 4, the outer lower face I52 of the anvil is inclined, to conform to the inner face of the roll.56, the end of the anvil lying within a depression in the roll, and the vertical teeth 88 projecting beyond the abutment-surface I58 for engagement with the work. The roll-shaft 64 passes between the arms of the anvil. As an aid in presenting the work As the. shank s varied in its position along the block,v

the contact-face of the gage is shifted into. different vertical planes to better co-operate with'work of different forms. This allows the cut of the knife to be substantially at right angles to the treadsurface of the sole for different transverse curvatures of such surface. Further, the proper direction of the cut may be maintained as the yieldable periphery of the roll 58 wears away in use.

Assuming that a rounding or trimming operation is to be performed upon the sole of a stitchdown shoe S, such as is illustrated in Fig. 3, the operator, lowering the treadle-rod 86 to withdraw the roll 58 from the roll 56, rests the desired point in the tread-surface of the sole s against.

the gage I69. He then raises the work over the gage I69 and along the periphery of the roll 58, until the crease between the sole and the upper u seats itself upon the periphery of the roll 56. The smooth surface 66 of the roll contacts with the upper, while the teeth 68 engage the outturned flange of said upper, or, as appears in Fig. 3, with the mock welt w. The roll 58 then being released, the springs 88 force it against the sole and the welt against the roll 56, the rotation of the rolls advancing the work in the direction of the arrow. The constantly reciprocating knife til cuts from the bottom elements curved pieces, and, as these cuts are repeated, they overlap to produce an edge having a series of small projections p, which are readily finished out. As distinguished from the effect of a straight-edged knife, the cuts of the semicircular edge 32 remove separate pieces of such size that they may be withdrawn readily by a suction-system, and which do not form continuous strips interfering with the operation of the machine. Each time the knife-edge enters the work and resists its advance by the feed-rolls, the springs I32 yield until the knife is retracted. Therefore, no strain is thrown upon either the knife or work. When the opposite extreme of the edge to be trimmed has been reached, the operator again withdraws the roll 58 by depression of the treadle rod, leaving the work free to be removed from the machine. To vary the projection of the rounded sole-edge from the upper, as this is positioned by the crease-entering roll the knife may be adjusted vertically along the ways l8 and clamped by the plate 22 and screw 24.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a sole-rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding knife, a member engaging a shoe-bottom and exerting thereon a constant force tending to advance the Work to receive the action of the knife, an actuating member for the work-engaging member, and means for reducing the effect of the actuating member upon the workengaging member while the rounding knife is in the work.

2. In a sole-rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding knife, a member engaging a shoe-bottom and exerting thereon a constant force tending to advance the work to receive the action of the knife, an actuating member for the workengaging member, and yieldable means for transmitting the effect of the actuating member to the work-engaging member.

3. In a sole-rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding knife, a toothed feed-roll engaging a shoe-bottom, a driving member, a driven member by which the feed-roll is rotated, and a spring transmitting the effect of the driving member to the driven member.

4.v In a sole-rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding knife, a toothed feed-roll engaging a shoe-bottom, a feedroll movable to force the shoe-bottom against the toothed'roll, a driving member, a driven member by which the feed-rolls are rotated, and a compression-spring interposed between the driving member and the driven mem berr 5. In a sole-rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding knife, a feed-roll engaging a shoe-bottom, a power-shaft, a driving member fast upon the shaft, a driven member arranged to turn about the shaft, gearing joining the driven member to the feed-roll and having an element secured to the driven member, and a spring communicating the movement of the driving member to the driven member.

6. In a sole-rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding knife, a feed-roll engaging a shoe-bottom, a power-shaft, a driving member fast upon the shaft, a driven member arranged to turn about the shaft, gearing joining the driven member to the feed-roll and having an element secured'to the driven member, a screw threaded into the driven member, and a spring acting to force the screw into engagement with the driving member.

7. In a sole-rounding machine, a reciprocatory roundin knife, parallel shafts, feed-rolls rotatable by the respective shafts for advancing the work to receive the action of the knife, a driven gear fixed to each shaft, two pairs of driving gears and sprocket-wheels, each pair being rotatable together, one of the driving gears meshing with each driven gear, a main sprocket-wheel, and a sprocket-chain engaging all the sprocket-wheels.

8. In a sole-rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding knife, parallel shafts, one of which is movable axially, feed-rolls rotatable by the respective shafts for advancing the work to receive the action of the knife, a driven gear fixed to each shaft, two pairs of driving gears and sprocketwheels, each pair being rotatable together, one of the driving gears meshing with each driven gear, the driving gear for theaxially movable shaft having axially elongated teeth, a main sprocketwheel, and a sprocket-chain engaging all the sprocket-wheels.

9. In a sole-rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding knife, parallel shafts, feed-rolls rotatable by the respective shafts for advancing the work to receive the action of the knife, a driven ear fixed to each shaft, two pairs of driving gears and sprocket-wheels, each pair being rotatable together, one of the driving gears meshing with each driven gear, a main sprocket-wheel, a sprocket-chain engaging all the sprocket-wheels, a shaft about which the main sprocket-wheel may turn, and means for communicating the movement of such shaft yieldably to the main sprocket-wheel,

10. In a sole-rounding machine, a frame, a

crease-entering roll rotatable upon the frame, a

block movable upon the frame and having a downwardly and inwardly inclined surface, a bottom-engaging roll rotatable upon the block, a bottom-rest provided with a shank variable in position along the inclined surface of the block, and a reciprocatory knife acting upon the shoebottom.

11. In a sole-rounding machine, a frame, a U- shaped anvil attached to the frame with its curved portion down, an inclined shaft journaled in the frame and extending between the arms of the anvil, a feed-roll secured to the shaft and provided with a depression in which the curved portion of the anvil is located, said feed-roll having teeth projecting beyond the anvil, and a reciprocatory knife with a curved cutting edge co-operating with the curved portion of the anvil.

12. In a. sole-rounding machine, a. frame, a U- shaped anvil attached to the frame with its curved portion down, an inclined shaft journaled in the frame and extending between the arms of the anvil, a feed-roll secured to the shaft and 10 

